Point-of-Care testing devices and clinical skills practical sessions : a blended learning approach

Abstract

For academic year 2020-21, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the point-of-care testing devices and clinical skills practical sessions for first year undergraduate pharmacy students were converted to a blended learning approach, combining traditional in-person laboratory practical training with pre-laboratory synchronous remote sessions. The practical sessions consisted of: 1) Three x 2 hours synchronous pre-laboratory sessions for all the class held using Zoom, and 2) Three x 2 hours in-person laboratory sessions for each student held in groups of three students. In-person laboratory sessions covered urinalysis, blood glucose monitoring, blood pressure measurement, lipid profile and obesity measurements and injection techniques.